Blue white decorating
how to use this classic mix |
(Image credit: Jake Curtis | Little Greene |Future)
Decorating with blue and white will bring timeless charm to your interiors, offering the scope to create a myriad elegant spaces.
With such a wide array of tones available, decorating with blue, from powdery shades to bold turquoises and inky ocean hues, can create spaces that are dramatic and energizing as well as restful and restorative depending on the shade, while decorating with white can make small or dark spaces feel lighter, brighter and bigger. Match the two to decorate with blue and white in the right proportions for your space, and you have a classic combination that never dates and always feels fresh.
Below, we advise on how to decorate with blue and white for room color ideas with enduring appeal.
Decorating with blue and white
Decorating with blue and white is a hugely versatile option as it can evoke all manner of looks depending on the individual tones you choose, the rooms' natural light, and where in the rooms you use the colors, plus whether you are considering blue room ideas with touches of white, or vice versa.
Loved by homeowners and interior designers for its enduring appeal, the classic combination of blue and white is synonymous with coastal decor ideas, but can equally strike a luxurious tone when navy is paired with crisp white and peppered with metallics. Alternatively, for a country decorating idea try pairing duck egg shades and pastel tones with warm off-whites.
'Blue can be used in every room in the house due to the vast array of shades available, from subtle light blues including duck egg or sky blue, to bright electric hues such as cobalt or royal blue, and deep, dark navy and indigo shades,' explains Dominic Myland, managing director of Mylands paints.
Below, we take you through the looks you can create when decorating with blue and white.
Pair navy blue and white for a crisp, luxurious look
(Image credit: James Hare)
While it may conjure coastal schemes, blue and white is a pairing 'not confined to a beach house,' says Saffron Hare, creative director of James Hare .
In fact, it can work equally well for creating an elegant and sophisticated look as demonstrated in this townhouse living room.
To create a beautiful backdrop for an elegant look choose 'a smart combination of rich navy with crisp white paintwork,' suggests Saffron. 'You could add paler shades of blue to this and perhaps some hints of metallic.'
This is particularly successful in rooms with plenty of natural daylight, which will lift the navy; or rooms that are mainly used in the evenings, where the navy will feel cozy. Choosing white for floors, ceilings and furnishings will enhance space.
When it comes to decorating blue living rooms with white as an accent color it's important to introduce plenty of texture as they can run the risk of feeling flat. For a luxurious look, introduce cotton velvets and silks alongside fabrics with beautiful embroidered details.
Match bold blue with equal amounts of white
(Image credit: Turner Pocock)
If used for entertaining guests then dining rooms can be brilliant places to experiment with bold blues as they create a sense of drama and occasion while also creating a cocooning and intimate atmosphere.
'Despite common misconception that dark blue shades can make a room feel small and unwelcoming, they can in fact make a room feel bigger,' explains Dominic Myland of Mylands paints. 'Rich, dark blues can instantly bring inviting warmth and won’t overpower a room.'
If you're thinking about blue dining room ideas, but are cautious about using striking blues wall to wall, then consider painting the lower half of the wall in a warm off white, or painting the ceiling and window trim white, and choosing white furniture.
Pick a denim shade for a restful effect
(Image credit: Future / Jake Curtis / Claudia Bryant)
For a less dramatic, more restful way to decorate with blue and white, pick a blue that's much more diluted.
Taking inspiration from Shibori designs, this bedroom corner is all about texture. A beautiful artwork has been created by framing a Japanese-inspired Pierre Frey wallpaper in a smart reeded white wood frame. The blue and white palette has been continued throughout, layering the scheme with pale denim walls and deep indigo fabric on the David Seyfried chair.
Bring warmth to a room with turquoise and white
(Image credit: Future / Brent Darby )
Blue can, of course, feel cool, so if you are using it in a room, adjust the tone to suit the natural daylight the room receives: north- and east-facing rooms will feel warmer with blues with hints of yellow in them, such as turquoise.
'Start your transformation in a cloakroom or small bedroom,' says Martin Waller, founder of global design brand Andrew Martin . 'Richer colors work well in such spaces, despite the accepted wisdom that white paint makes a room seem larger,’ he adds.
For a coastal look try a blue wallpaper with a watery feel. With its sinuous lines, Vanessa Arbuthnott ’s Up the Garden Path wallpaper in Teal conjures soothing waves and pairs perfectly with her By the Sea linen and Simple Ticking linen.
Introduce blue and white through intricate patterns
(Image credit: Manuel Canovas)
If you're looking to really make an impression and love French country decor ideas then try an ornate toile de jouy hallway wallpaper idea.
Dating back to 18th century France, toile de jouy prints are characterized by their romantic, pastoral scenes which were often printed in an inky blue onto a white backdrop.
As connecting spaces, hallway ideas can easily be forgotten about when it comes to decorating but they are in fact a brilliant place to make a statement. As the space into which we welcome guests, the entryway is the perfect spot to unleash our personality and to set the tone for the style of our home.
Opt for timeless blue and white stripes
(Image credit: Future)
If you're looking for a fail-safe way to decorate with blue and white, you can't go wrong with upholstery in classic blue and white stripes. Offering infinite variations in color and scale, decorating with stripes is extremely versatile and can be used to create all sorts of different looks from timeless and traditional to bold and edgy. For a cool Mediterranean decor theme try an all white scheme with sofas in a wide, bold blue stripe.
Combine blue and white through texture and shaping
(Image credit: Future / Chris Everard / Katrin Cargill)
One way to decorate successfully with blue and white is through a combination of intriguing patterns and silhouettes.
Here, a calm sea of indigo blues makes for an inviting retreat. The small scale pattern in the wallpaper, a more textural alternative to paint, works well with the playful lampshade design. Mixing the blue patterns with white keeps the scheme crisp. Blue-tinted furniture continues the theme.
Wallpaper, Virginia White . Lamp Vaughan
Let white dominate blue for a bright, airy feel
(Image credit: Future/Claudia Bryant/Jake Curtis)
A timeless and restful combination, blue and white is a brilliant color pairing for traditional living rooms that you want to feel bright and airy. When putting together a monochromatic color scheme, the key to success is to introduce plenty of texture and pattern as well as subtle tonal variations in order to bring depth and interest.
An easy way to do this is to choose a mixture of fabrics in similar tones but in different prints and scales, and to mix these up across upholstery, window treatments and accessories.
Combine different tones of blue and white
(Image credit: Sophie Eyeington Interiors / Photograph Anna Stathaki )
Decorating with blue and white needn't mean sticking to one tone of each color – you can combine different blues and shades of white to create an interesting, layered scheme, as in the bathroom above.
Practical and easy to clean, bathroom tile ideas are also a fabulous way to bring personality to a space. For a scheme that has enduring appeal, as well as depth and interest, try a mixing plain and geometric tiles in blue and white.
‘The brief here was to create a glamorous scheme with a nod to the nostalgia of 1930s Hollywood films,’ says designer Sophie Eyeington of this bathroom design. ‘Geometric patterned tiles were used to highlight the bath and basin, with the look softened by the circular mirror and sphere lights.
’
Create a contrast with blue and white in the kitchen
(Image credit: Tom Howley)
Timeless and versatile, blue and white is a classic combination for kitchen color ideas as it will remain looking fresh year after year – this is an important consideration for kitchens as they are a big investment.
If you're looking to introduce just a pop of color to a bright and airy white kitchen then consider using blue paint on an island to create a focal point suggests Tom Howley , design director of the eponymous kitchen company. 'Opt for a dramatic color contrast with the rest of the cabinetry. If you have a very neutral kitchen, a deep blue island paint color idea will draw the eye to the center of the space.’
Rethink the classic white and blue bathroom
(Image credit: Jake Curtis)
Reminiscent of tranquil coastal vistas, blue and white is a classic color scheme for a restful bathroom, but for something a little different why not introduce a statement scenic wall mural? Bathrooms can run the risk of feeling austere, but a beautiful bathroom wallpaper is a fabulous way to bring a touch of pattern, personality and luxury to the space.
Perfect for a large master bathroom, this Pierre Frey wallpaper takes inspiration from the traditional Portuguese azulejos tin-glazed tiles still found on the palaces of Sintra, Lisbon and Porto and is based on a trompe-l'oeil painting by Laurence Mosneron Dupin. To make the wallpaper really sing consider finishing the look with contrasting yellow wall lights and warm brass fixtures and fittings.
Introduce accent colors to a blue and white scheme
(Image credit: Jake Curtis)
If you love the idea of decorating with blue and white but are looking to liven up the look then consider adding pops of rich warm colors suggests Louise Wicksteed, design director of Sims Hildtich . 'To avoid going too nautical we recommend only using small pops of red in a room where blues and whites are prevalent.'
Display blue and white china for an elegant look
(Image credit: Future)
Displaying china is an easy way to introduce blue and white decor – as seen in Gwyneth Paltrow's home – and there's a huge array available, from antique Chinoiserie designs and spongeware to contemporary splatterware pieces.
Consider arranging pieces together in a cabinet or dresser painted with a deep blue backdrop as this will allow them to really stand out.
What goes with blue and white walls?
Blue and white walls create a timeless and versatile interior backdrop for layering up all sorts of accent colors.
'Blues work well on their own or can really come to life when combined with other shades within the palette for a harmonious interior, says Dominic Myland. 'Off-white, greens and greys are classic combinations but contrasting pinks and reds are increasing in popularity for a layered look.'
To prevent monochrome schemes feeling flat and lifeless, consider adding in accents in warm tones such as reds, yellows and oranges. Opting for burnished fixtures and fittings and metallic touches will also help bring life and luxury and will really sing against a deep blue backdrop.
When working out what colors work well together the color wheel can be a useful guide.
How do I incorporate blue and white into my house?
A hugely versatile combination, blue is an easy color to incorporate into your house with white as it can be used to evoke all sorts of different looks from dramatic dining rooms to soothing bedrooms.
Blue works particularly well when paired with white and together the shades are renowned for bringing a timeless and elegant feel.
When choosing paint colors it's important 'to take time to consider how and when you use the space and the atmosphere you want to create,' explains Ruth Mottershead, creative director of of Little Greene . 'Blue and white is an enduring, classic color combination which lends itself to a wide range of interior styles.'
For a lasting impression try painting in wall to wall blue and making it sing by opting for white woodwork, or try papering in blue and white wallpapers. Alternatively, for a more subtle way to incorporate blue limit paintwork to below a dado rail or use it to bring life to the inside of a cupboard. 'Make your joinery and wooden furniture pop by painting it in a deep blue. De Nimes by Farrow and Ball works well. This looks especially effective against a backdrop of whites on the walls and woodwork,' says Louise Wicksteed of Sims Hilditch.
Pippa is Content Editor on Homes & Gardens online contributing to Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors print issues. A graduate of Art History and formerly Style Editor at Period Living, she is passionate about architecture, creating decorating content, interior styling and writing about craft and historic homes. She enjoys searching out beautiful images and the latest trends to share with the Homes & Gardens audience. A keen gardener, when she’s not writing you’ll find her growing flowers on her village allotment for styling projects.
10 Ways To Decorate With Blue and White
For a classic color scheme that never goes out of style, you can’t go wrong with blue and white. It has a serene and inviting feeling that can be used in any room in your house…from the living room to the dining room to bedrooms and bathrooms. These blue and white decorating ideas will provide all the inspiration you need.
Have you ever been wandering around the internet, looking for inspiration for something and then ended up getting sucked into looking at something totally different?
That’s exactly what happened to me this week.
I have been planning a party and looking for some inspiration for party decorations.
Somehow in the process of doing that, I got totally side-tracked by some beautiful pictures of blue and white rooms.
There’s just something about that combination of blue and white that I love. And I just can’t help myself. I have to look at it.
Which is probably why I have so much blue and white in my own home decor.
Plus, it’s such a classic color combination that it never really goes out of style.
So here are some of my favorite blue and white decorating ideas.
1 | Use Blue Accents With White Walls
This post may contain affiliate links. We make a small commission if you buy the products from these links (at no extra cost to you). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. But we only recommend products we would use ourselves. For more information, click here to see our disclosures.Photo by Town House Interiors – Victorian Living Room, via houzz.
comThe most common way to create a blue and white room is to paint the walls white and add blue accents and furniture.
This creates a really light and airy feel in the room, like this blue and white living room.
And makes it really easy to change the color scheme later if you want to.
Although I can’t imagine ever getting tired of blue and white. But that’s just me 🙂
2 | Paint The Trim Blue
Photo by Toledo Geller – Beach Style Living Room, via houzz.comTo take the white walls with blue accents color scheme one step further, try painting the molding and trim blue.
I love how it makes the architectural details stand out in this blue and white living room.
3 | Paint The Walls Blue
Of course, if you’re like me and prefer to have lots of color on the walls, you can do the opposite…paint the walls blue and add white accents.
This is what I did in my living room.
And my guest bathroom.
And the original version of my master bedroom (and bathroom).
This blue and white toile is still one of my favorite fabric patterns ever!
Did I mention that I like blue and white a lot?
4 | Put Blue And White On the Ceiling
Photo by A.S.D. Interiors – Shirry Dolgin, Owner – Transitional Living Room, via houzz.comAnother one of my favorite decorating tricks for making a room look more interesting is to paint or wallpaper the ceiling.
So it probably isn’t surprising I love this living room that has a blue and white ceiling which matches the area rug.
Combined with the rest of the blue and white accents in the room, it makes quite a statement.
5 | Mix Your Blues
If you think you need to match your blues exactly, you don’t. Which is a good thing…finding the exact same color of blue can be tricky.
Don’t believe me?
Just take a look at a picture of the tropical ocean (like the one I used for to cover the TV in my living room).
There are all different shades of blue in the ocean. And no-one ever thinks that they don’t go.
6 | Add Gold (or Brass)
While blue and white can go with pretty much any metal, I think the warm-toned ones like gold and brass make the most spectacular combination.
The warmth of the gold really plays off the cool toned blue, making everything stand out more.
My mother used gold to accent her chairs, to cover the mirror frame, to showcase a favorite statue and on the ceiling in her blue and white living room.
She even painted gold dots around the walls to make it look like wallpaper.
All of those details really help to pull the space together, and add a little excitement to the traditional blue and white color scheme.
7 | Use Lots Of Patterns
Photo by Gilles Clement Designs – Beach Style Living Room, via houzz.comIt’s not much of a secret that I like to use lots of patterns when I’m decorating.
But for some reason, blue and white seems to lend itself to patterns even more than other colors.
This blue and white living room has 4 different fabric patterns in it.
And this living room has 5!
It might be all the blue and white ginger jars and garden seats…maybe everyone is just used to seeing blue and white patterns.
But whatever the reason, lots of pattern is a great way to add some interest. You can find my tips for mixing patterns HERE.
8 | Create A Beach-y Color Scheme
Photo by Gilles Clement Designs – Beach Style Dining Room, via houzz.comIf you love the beach and want to create that relaxing, breezy feel at home, mix in a little yellow, like this blue and white dining room.
It instantly creates a feeling of warmth and sunshine without requiring seashells and flip flops. You just can’t help but feel happy.
9 | Add Blue and White Accessories
If you don’t want to go all out on a whole blue and white room, you can just add some blue and white accessories.
Blue and white vases, candles, and my favorite ginger jars can all be added to any room as an accent.
Even if the walls in the room aren’t painted blue, it’s likely that blue and white will fit right in.
10 | Use Blue and White As A Neutral
Photo by Austin Patterson Disston Architects – Hamptons Dining Room, via houzz.comDid you know that blue can be a neutral?
It goes with every other color on the color wheel, which means you can combine it with whatever colors you want to.
If you happen to love blue and white as much as I do, and you’re looking for a good way to make your home look cohesive, try blue and white as the basis for your whole house color scheme.
You don’t have to use it as the main colors in every room, but if you repeat it in some form throughout your house, you’ll be amazed how good it looks.
Other decorating ideas you might like
- How To Create A Whole House Color Scheme (Even If You Love Color)
- The Color Lover’s Guide To Choosing Neutral Paint Colors
- How To Choose The Right Paint Color (7 Steps To Help You Decide)
Have comments or questions about our blue and white decorating ideas? Tell us in the section below.
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This post was originally published on August 23, 2019 but was updated with new content on January 15, 2022.
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Holidays are an integral part of our daily life.
See a huge selection of photos of festive events and preparations for them here, for example, “Design of Christmas trees with blue and silver balls (68 photos)”. See also the collections "Christmas tree in boho style (66 photos)" or "New Year's decor with cinnamon and tangerines (61 photos)". You can choose for yourself the idea of a festive decor, preparation for the ceremony, choose an outfit or jewelry, pick up festive shoes and an image in general. The best options for cakes, cupcakes, interiors and everything to create a festive mood for you! nine0003
New Year's decor in blue and blue: 30 photo ideas
Blue, blue and white are considered classic shades of winter. After all, they always evoke memories of snow, frozen water and twinkling blue stars in a cold winter sky.
Therefore, the use of these shades in the New Year's decor is, perhaps, one of the most successful interior solutions.
In addition, according to scientists who study the effect of color on human behavior, blue tones give a feeling of calm and peace.
But this is so often lacking in the pre-holiday bustle and everyday life! nine0003
So if you want to create at home both a festive atmosphere and a corner to restore the soul, feel free to embody these ideas in your home.
The Christmas tree is the main attribute of the New Year. See what a real beauty she will become if you decorate her with flickering lanterns and blue, white and silver balls that look like droplets of frozen snow!
A snow-white tree with sky-colored decorations on its branches looks very impressive. nine0003
Such a small green Christmas tree will not take up much space. It can be placed in the kitchen, in the hallway in a small room, where it will create a festive atmosphere.
Look at this truly winter decor! The fluffy carpet covering the floor looks like a cold white iceberg, the blue curtains look like frozen streams of water, the pillows look like pieces of ice that the mischievous wind scattered over the snowdrifts (chairs).
A real little snow kingdom!
The Christmas wreath is another important attribute of the New Year. Previously, it was made from mistletoe leaves or thorny spruce branches. Now it’s not difficult to make a beautiful wreath yourself by buying the necessary blank in a needlework store or cutting a circle out of ordinary cardboard. nine0003
Wrap it with blue and white threads, glue on glitter balls, snowflakes and a homemade charm to decorate your home.
No thread? Use festive blue and white ribbons. This will make your wreath even more festive and elegant.
Fir cones treated with white paint from an aerosol can are also suitable. Let this funny snowman meet you and your guests on the threshold, as if looking out of a frosted window. nine0003
A composition of balls, ribbons and beads in white and blue colors can be used as a wall panel or door decoration.
Create a small corner of the winter landscape in your home.
Decorate the wall with transparent, white and blue balls - they are so reminiscent of real falling snow, seat snowmen under the panel and hang blue, white boots for New Year's gifts.
